Written by Caitlin Starr and produced by Chris Cubeta, the title Speed Saves riffs on the phrase “Jesus saves” and “speed kills,” repurposing it as a commentary on how speed — long hours, multiple jobs, constant motion, racing through the city at full speed, mania, excessive stimulants, chasing validation — can feel like the only way to keep up with the world. The songs trace both the ways that speed has temporarily rescued Caitlin and the emotional and physical crashes that come after, blending piano-rooted songwriting with raw punk immediacy.
Last month, Starr shared "Will U b My Girlfriend", a chaotic, confessional single with a guitar section that outpaces the singer's beating heart, spiraling from an intense lesbian crush. With its hooky lyrics crusted in grunge instrumentation, the single finds the artist at her most anxious, romantic, energetic, impulsive, and wild.
WATCH: "WILL U B MY GIRLFRIEND" (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
Caitlin Starr cut her teeth in the NYC punk scene, using her talents as a multi-instrumentalist to support different punk and metal bands around the city for years. Though she rose to local prominence as the bassist for Suzy Clue and Shred Flintsone, as well as Skorts, and Truman Flyer, she's been crafting her signature melodic punk sound as a solo artist at the same time. The singer-songwriter made her solo debut in 2025 with the EP Hold On Tight. Now, with Speed Saves, the DIY singer-songwriter is ready to turn the dial up on her amp, dyeing a 90s-flavored alternative rock in her melodic pop rock songwriting.
"Melodic punk is similar to grunge pop," she says. "Kurt Cobain was such a great pop writer, even though Nirvana was grunge and alternative. I see it as the blending the raw power and angst of hardcore music with infectious pop melodies that make you wanna listen over and over. I've always been drawn to melodies and am a songwriter at heart, but it wasn't until I started playing heavier music live that I felt I could fully express how I was feeling."
The forthcoming EP was shaped in collaboration: Chris Cubeta produced, Meredith Okomoto served as assistant engineer, Carmen Castillo played bass, and Zack Jones played drums, with Lucy Coykendall performing drums on the track “Will u b My Girlfriend." Caitlin, a classically trained jazz pianist and multi-intrusmentalist, brought these deeply personal songs to the sessions, which were then arranged, tracked, and refined with the band and production team to preserve the songs’ intimate urgency while adding rhythmic propulsion.
PRE-SAVE SPEED SAVES
The result is a concise, honest snapshot of an era defined by speed, tenacity, and the cost of racing to keep up. Speed Saves until you crash. |
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